Jeff Wilson's GURPS Martial Arts Supplement

This is a GURPS supplement for GURPS Martial Arts. Click here for copyright information.

Have you ever wanted to play a non-humanoid martial master, and found that most of the martial arts maneuver didn't fit your body configuration? Have you ever thought that non-humanoids would develop maneuvers to take advantage of their own body configuration? Below you will find a number of skills and maneuvers that cannot be used by humans, but can be used by a variety of non-human races. The GM has the final decision as to whether a maneuver is available to a race. (A Rising Kick is suitable for an intelligent horse, but not for a walking barrel like a Rigellian or Ahoggya.) You will also find a few maneuvers for humans overlooked by the creators of GURPS. Enjoy!

Martial Arts Advantages

This advantage enables a character to use a weapon with a 2/3 parry. For one weapon the advantage costs 8 points. For all weapons the cost is 15 points.

Martial Arts Skills

This skill enables a creature with more than two legs to maintain a stance on two legs for more than one turn. At the end of the turn, the creature must succeed in this skill or fall to a normal standing position.

Martial Arts Maneuvers

This maneuver is available, at the GM's option, to beings with strong protruding beaks. If it seems appropriate, the maneuver can be made hard for certain races.

The maneuver enables you to make an attack doing bite damage (page B140). Damage is normally crushing, although normal modifiers for the type of "teeth" apply. If the attack is parried by Brawling or Karate, you may make a second attack roll to damage the parrying limb. However, any unsuccessful parry will cause the attack to damage the attackers face.

(This maneuver originally appeared in GURPS Lensman p?.) In summary, roll vs. jumping or DX-4 to reach any opponent within standing or running broad jump range (see p. B88). Then roll vs. donganeur skill to do swing+2 damage, with Brawling or Karate bonuses. Damage is doubled for purposes for calculating knockback and knockdown. Finally roll vs. Acrobatics-4 or DX-8 to avoid falling, taking 1d-2 crushing damage for each two yards traveled. All active defenses are at -4 during this maneuver, and this is the only attack you can make during the turn, even if using Multiple Attacks.

This maneuver can only be used by a creature with more than two legs. It lets a fighter attack back hexes without changing facing. The user must be aware of the attacker behind him. The kicker's damage is doubled, but opponent's DR also counts double. The kicker's active defenses against all attacks are at -2 for that round.

For a creature with more than two legs, this maneuver permits them strike while rising onto hind legs, and returning to standing. This attack does +2 damage. If the attack fails, the kicker must make a second maneuver roll or fall prone.

(originally by Steve Smith.)

This throw requires the attacker to fall to the ground as part of getting his opponent there, and is therefore seldom used in real combat. Use the standard Judo throw rules, except that the thrower gets a +1 to skill for every hex the target moved toward them this turn. Also, the target can only be thrown behind the attacker, who will fall backward, landing with feet in their original hex and upper body in the hex behind.

This maneuver is available only to species with large, thick tails. A tail sweep knocks over an opponent by taking his legs out from under him. A Tail Sweep is treated as a Sweeping Kick (p. MA56), except it may be performed against front hexes at -2 and side and rear hexes at no penalty, and a successful parry will not subject the attacker to the possibility of a Leg Grapple.

Martial Arts Styles

BAN GARDO (16 points/21 points)

Ban Gardo is a martial art for high-tech (7+) bodyguards. The style emphasizes quick attacks, takedowns, and observation techniques. The style isn't interested in doing damage so much as preventing someone else from doing damage. The masters of this style are rumored to be able to subdue a person with just the touch of a finger.

Primary Skills:Body Language, Boxing, Karate, Judo
Secondary Skills:Knife, Off-Hand Weapon (Knife), Savoire-Faire (Aristocracy, Corporate, or Criminal), Short Staff, Throwing.
Optional Skills:Disguise, Holdout, Professional Skill: Policeman, Shadowing, Traps/TL.
Maneuvers:Acute Vision [2 points], Aggressive Parry, Arm Lock, Choke Hold, Disarming (Karate), Hit Location (Karate), Jab, Knee Strike, Spin Kick, Stamp Kick, Sweeping Kick.
Cinematic Skills:Mental Strength, Pressure Points, Pressure Secrets, Throwing Art
Cinematic Maneuvers:Hand-Clap Parry

CIRCLE OF TIME (13 points/36 points)

The Circle of Time emphasizes movement as a means of defeating the opposition. Practitioners of the art are always in motion, retreating, advancing, or moving to one side or another. The masters of the art have supposed mastered their bodies to the point of performing incredible feats.

Primary Skills:Judo, Acrobatics, Karate, Running
Secondary Skills:Alter Conscious, Hypnotism, Philosophy (Choice), Any One Weapon
Optional Skills:Any
Maneuvers:Aggressive Parry, Back Kick, Cat Stance, Disarming, Feint (Karate), Hit Location (Karate), Jab, Kicking, Rabbit Punch, Riposte, Sweep Kick
Cinematic Skills:Body Control, Hypnotic Hands (VH), Light Walk, Mental Strength, Power Blow, Push
Cinematic Maneuvers:Acrobatic Kick, Enhanced Dodge [15], Roll With Blow

THE DANCE OF KNIVES (10 points/17 points)

The traditional martial art of the Rom (gypsies), the dance of knives makes no distinction between art and combat. However, the Dance of Knives is not just one style, but a broad variety of styles taught in many different ways. Unlike traditional martial arts, the Rom have a highly pragmatic attitude toward their art, and which aspects of the art are emphasized and which are overlooked vary with each teacher. Described below is the art as it might be taught by a very capable and gifted Rom.

The emphasis of the Dance of Knives is on the knife and on movement. Like Capoeira, the martial artist using this style may substitute Acrobatics for the weapon skill of any feint maneuver. (Note that Drop Kick defaults to Acrobatics-3 when learned as part of this style.)

Primary Skills:Acrobatics, Dancing, and Knife or Knife Art
Secondary Skills:Holdout, Hypnotism, Jumping, Karate, Musical Instrument.
Optional Skills:Judo, Shortsword, Short Staff.
Maneuvers:Drop Kick, Feint (Acrobatic/Knife) [2 points], Ground Fighting (Knife), Hit Location (Knife), Gymnastics, Off-Hand Weapon (Knife).
Cinematic Skills:Drunken Fighting, Hypnotic Hands/Dance, Light Walk.
Cinematic Maneuvers:Acrobatic Kick, Dual-Weapon Attack (Knife), Springing Attack, Roll With Blow.

HIGH BLADEART ()

KILIMIN KNIFE FENCING (9 points)

This style occurred in a decadent or collapsing city culture, which also had weaponry making heavy armor of little value. In a magical culture, Black Powder Weapons might be replaced by Magical Wands or Thaumatology skills. The basic purpose of this style is to get in close and cut your opponent to pieces. It is not a noble's sport.

Primary Skills:Fencing, Knife, Main-Gauche
Secondary Skills:Acrobatics, Off-Hand Weapon (Main-Gauche), Wrestling
Optional Skills:Black Powder Weapons, Body Language, Cloak, Stealth
Maneuvers:Close Combat (Knife), Corps-a-Corps, Fleche, Floor Lunge, Lunge, Riposte
Cinematic Skills & Maneuvers:none

LESSER BLADEART ()

MASTER BLADEART ()

MOREDHEL SWORDPLAY (9 points/39 points)

This is the art of the sword as it might be taught by dark elves or drow.

Some variations of the style replace all knife skills with shortsword skills, or even drop knife altogether to teach the use of a broadsword in each hand. In any case, this is a two-weapon style concentrating on stealthy maneuvers. It is often preferred by assassins.

Primary:Broadsword, Knife, Stealth
Secondary:Acrobatics, Holdout, Hypnotism, Poisons, Shortsword, Savoire-Faire (Moredhel)
Optional:Body Language, Free Fall, Intimidation, Karate, Shadowing, Spell Throwing
Maneuvers:Feint (Broadsword or Knife) [2 in one or 1 in each], Hit Location (Broadsword), Hit Location (Knife), Off-Hand (Knife), Riposte (Broadsword)
Cinematic Skills:Blind Fighting, Invisibility Art
Cinematic Maneuvers:Cinematic Disarming (Broadsword), Cinematic Parry (All Weapons) [15], Dual Weapon (Broadsword), Dual Weapon (Knife), Roll With Blow

PSININJITSU (20 points)

Whether as Mercenaries, Thieves, Bodyguards, Spies, or Assassins, psininjas have a reputation for loyalty to their employer and getting the job done. Due to the presence of psionic training in the style, psininjitsu does not train the cinematic arts. This does not restrict a psininja from taking such arts as part of another style.

Psininjitsu is based on the ancient arts of Ninjitsu and Jeet Kun Do.

Primary:Electronic Operations (Communication, Psychotronics, or Security Systems), Judo, Karate, and Stealth. The psininja must also have one of the following: Beam Weapons (Stunner preferred), Guns (Needler preferred), Knife, Lasso, Shortsword, Throwing and one additional skill from the following: Acrobatics, Climbing, Free Fall, and Swimming. A psininja must also have have either Mind Block and Mind Shield and one of: Telesend, Telekinesis, or Confuse.
Secondary:All skills not selected as primary skills become secondary skills. Any one Combat/Weapon skill, Body Language, Professional Skill (Bodyguard, Policeman, or Soldier) and two skills from the following: Acting, Disguise, Escape, Fast-Talk, Forgery, Holdout, Meditation, Physician, Poisons, Running, and Tactics. Also, one of the following pairs: Illusion and Telereceive; Surge and Photokinesis; or Pyrokinesis and Levitation.
Optional:Any of the skills mentioned above, any Psionic skills, any Thief/Spy skills, Bard, Sex Appeal, and Strategy.
Maneuvers:Back Kick, Ear Clap, Elbow Strike, Feint (Karate) [2 points], Hit Location (Karate) [2 points], Jump Kick, Knee Strike, Riposte (Karate), Spin Kick, and Stamp Kick.

Martial Arts Weapons

Beak Guard: Used by certain races to protect their beaks and do extra damage with the beak slash maneuver.

Steel Fangs: Used by races with powerful fangs in order to penetrate armor without damaging their teeth. The type of damage done (cutting or impaling) does not change.

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